09.08.2018, 10:49

Successful Eiffel Tower Bid for Sodexo and Michelin-starred Chefs

A consortium led by Sodexo Sports & Leisure which includes Michelin-starred chefs Frédéric Anton and Thierry Marx, has been selected to operate the Jules Verne Brasserie and courtyard and upper-level concessions at the Eiffel Tower - the world's most visited monument with an entry fee.

The contract with Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) comes into effect on 1 October 2018.

A new team of talents to seduce Parisians and tourists from around the world

With 11 years of experience operating the Eiffel tower restaurants, Sodexo Sports & Leisure ambition offer was completely redesigned to focus on a multi-disciplinary and complementary team.

On one hand, two monuments of French haute gastronomy, Frédéric Anton and Thierry Marx, who will carry a first of its kind emblematic project for French cuisine.

On the other hand, passionate architects such as Aline Asmar d’Amman, who will contribute to the renovation of the Jules Verne, adding touches of modernity and intimacy, and Nicola Delon and Ramy Fischler, who will redesign the other spaces. Sodexo will also work with French start-up Ubudu on visitors’ flow optimization.

Altogether, the team will bring their savoir-faire to reinvent and sublimate the experience for all Eiffel Tower visitors.

Nathalie Bellon-Szabo, CEO Sodexo Sports & Leisure Worldwide:“We are thrilled to continue the adventure with the SETE for the next ten years. The Eiffel tower is the French symbol par excellence, that the entire world dreams about, and a wonderful standard-setter for the millions of visitors we welcome every year.”

She added, “As Paris and France prepare to welcome visitors from around the world for major international events, we made the daring choice to put together a transversal team and place our bets on the exceptional alliance of two chefs who embody the French gastronomy of our time, and offer a more inclusive, open, modern and democratic approach to French cuisine.”

Denis Machuel, CEO of Sodexo Group, congratulated the winning team:“I want to thank all the teams involved in the bid and the ambitious program supporting our values at Sodexo. Responsibility, sustainable management, innovation and promotion of multiple disciplines are some of Sodexo’s driving forces. Our offer is an exceptional translation of our daily commitments, expressed at the heart of the most emblematic landmark in the world!”

An artisan Chef duo at the peak of French gastronomy

It is the first time a duo of artisan Chefs will manage the Eiffel tower restaurants. For Frédéric Anton and Thierry Marx, it is an opportunity to recreate an experience that inspires the same level of wonder as the Parisian landmark itself, and both share their enthusiasm: “Our wildest dream was to cook in this landmark unique in the world; a dream that has become reality. Our common goal is to carry the colors of French culinary excellence in the world’s most beautiful tower and to share our savoir-faire with all our visitors and at all levels.”

Frédéric Anton, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, will lead the mythical and historic Jules Verne restaurant. “I will make the Jules Verne a culinary destination in and of itself,” he said. “I am committed to bring to the Jules Verne the savoir-faire that I acquired at the Pré Catelan with my team for the past 20 years, and thus reinvent the dining experience at more than 300 feet off the ground.” The menu will reflect the French spirit in this landmark of French gastronomy with a subtle and delicate proposition and graphic dishes emphasizing the tower machinery.

Thierry Marx will entice all visitors through his daring and accessible cuisine, offering seasonal and sustainable options. “As an artisan, my mission is to create memories of fleeting moments, of transmitting emotion through taste,” says Marx who will be in charge of the first-floor brasserie and the take-away concessions on site. “The world is evolving and so is gastronomy. I want my food to move with the times. It will be simple, healthier, less wasteful and more local – prepared with locally-sourced artisanal products, while remaining pleasurable and a memory maker as strong as a visit to the Eiffel tower itself.”

Social and environmental responsibility at the heart of the offer

If innovation is a strongpoint in the offer voted unanimously by the SETE, another headlining element in the offer is its social and environmental commitments. These will be launched gradually to promote French artisanship and local, waste-free catering.

A guild will be created to federate a network of catering artisans with exceptional savoir-faire and to invite visitors to discover and taste pastries, drinks, breads and cold-cuts from some of the best Paris region-based artisans under the “Made in Paris” label.

The consortium will rely on Sodexo’s expertise and sustainable approach for a positive environmental impact: a charter for sustainable supply will be signed by partners, primary waste reduction will be put in place, and a partnership with the local start-up Phenix, specialized in waste reduction and repurposing, will also be implemented.

A major tourism leader in Paris

From the discovery of Paris’ landmarks through a ride on a Bateau Parisien or a Batobus along the Seine, to a romantic evening at the Lido de Paris or an exceptional dinner at the Pré Catelan, Sodexo and its Sports & Leisure segment have accompanied Parisians, French people and tourists from around the world in unforgettable moments across the capital.

It is this unique expertise that allowed the SETE to renew their confidence in Sodexo, comforted by the last 11 years, in sustainable and responsible management of catering at the Eiffel tower.

About Frédéric Anton

Frédéric Anton is among the most brilliant new generation of French chefs. Trained under masters of classic French gastronomy - Gérard Veyssière, Robert Bardot and Joël Robuchon, he has managed the Pré Catelan in the Bois de Boulogne since 1997. In 1999, he obtains two Michelin stars for the restaurant and three since 11 years. Elected “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” in 2000, Frédéric Anton’s cuisine is refined and sensual. His dishes are composed like flavorful works of art, mixing flavors, colors and textures bringing out the best of each product.

About Thierry Marx

Committed to transmission, Thierry Marx is a gastronomic explorer, from molecular gastronomy to street food. His cuisine is equally inspired by the history of French gastronomy and his passion for Asia. Trained as a “Compagnon de devoir” in French pastries, Thierry Marx was a peacekeeping soldier during the Lebanese War before definitively going into French gastronomy and exploring all its facets.

He conjugates his role as a two-star Michelin chef with his social commitments and his entrepreneurial ventures. He leads Cuisine mode d’emploi(s), a national network of cooking and restaurant training centers for social reinsertion, that he founded in Paris in 2012. He also co-founded the French Culinary Innovation Center (CFIC) at Paris-Sud University in Orsay with French physico-chemical researcher Raphaël Haumont.

Thierry Marx is chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and chevalier of the French Légion d’honneur.

About Sodexo S.A.

Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 50 years of experience: from foodservices, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world. www.sodexo.com